An ink jet type printer, which is an example of a printing apparatus, is provided with a transport unit that transports a medium, and a recording head that includes a nozzle formation surface, which discharges ink, and prints a desired image on a medium by alternately repeating an operation that discharges ink from the nozzle formation surface while moving the recording head in a direction that intersects a transport direction, and an operation that transports the medium in the transport direction. In addition, since the nozzle formation surface is disposed in proximity to the medium in order to deposit discharged ink accurately in a predetermined position, it is likely that the nozzle formation surface will be stained by the foreign matter adhered to the medium in a section that prints an image.
Printing apparatuses are used in environments in which foreign matter such as dust, fluff, and the like, is present. Therefore, it is likely that the foreign matter caused by environmental factors will adhere to the medium and be taken inside the printing apparatus. If the foreign matter is taken into a section that prints an image, there is a concern that the nozzle formation surface will be stained by the foreign matter, that the ink discharge performance of the recording head will change, and therefore, that there will be a decrease in the printing quality of an image.
For example, the printer (printing apparatus) disclosed in PTL 1 includes a dust removal member for removing dust, and suppresses the adverse effects of foreign matter by removing dust (foreign matter) adhered to a roller by using the dust removal member.
To explain in more detail, the dust removal member is a brush, and removes foreign matter by scraping away the foreign matter adhered to the roller by using the brush.